It
was rumored yesterday that Microsoft was working on an overhauled Xbox 360 with a new D-Pad, and now the company has confirmed that yes, the ratty little squirt of plastic shite that we currently have (in my opinion) is getting a bit of an improvement. Only slightly, though.
"The Xbox 360 Wireless Controller with Play & Charge Kit -- with Transforming D-pad will be available beginning early 2011 in the UK," a spokesman told CVG.
When the D-Pad is rotated 90 degrees, it will raise by roughly a quarter-of-an-inch, a design that will apparently help fighting fans pull of their combos with a greater degree of ease. Who knows? It might even mean that when you press "up" on the thing, it'll actually mean "up" and not "right" or "left" or "I can't be bothered to work properly."
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Is that really the only thing wrong with it? I mean, I know it (the D-Pad) sucks, but I never really could figure out why.
Either way, if they fix this, the 360 controller will (in my opinion) be absolutely, 100% perfect. (It's at about 95% right now, since I don't play fighting games.)
I'll knowing Microsoft it'll just introduce a new problem without actually fixing the old one, buttons dont work, or the controller red rings, triggers break easily...something stupid.
So will this one actually be usable with menus or is that still going to be impossible? It's unbelievable that Microsoft can fuck up something so fucking simply so badly.
1. the buttons still look floaty as hell
2. why have the "disc" option at all? seems like just making it a plus without the transforming gimmick could have made it cheaper than $65
I was going to modify my current controller, then I realized I was too lazy. So this news makes me feel warm and fuzzy and it accomadtes my sedentary lifestyle! Win all around says me ^_^
I usually don't like to be negative, as there's enough of that going around, but...
Bleh. Even if the D-pad is better, which is great, those face buttons look painful. I wish people would pay more attention to the Saturn pad - the concave, large buttons and D-pad are comfortable, precise and easy to pull off diagonals on. I use a USB one with my PC all the time. An updated version with twin sticks would be supreme.
You do realize that the controllers that are out now bundled with the Play and Charge kit are already $64.99......right? It's the same damn price just a new design. Stop bitching.
DS3 owns the 360 controller. Has been since ps1. I read over all the comments and wow destructoid readers are ignorant huh? I have smaller hands and still I can use the 360 controller without discomfort as my friend with bigger hands can use the DS3 with no problems either. You all say get your head outta sonys ass haha well I suggest you do the same with microshafts. Microsoft is the worst company to buy any of their products from. No wonder 360 only does well in america with its over abundance of shooters. Anericans have no gaming tastes.
the d-pad is still going to be shit. if you open it up, there is a little plastic penis thing that rocks about hitting switches versus a good d-pad where little rubber membranes hit a circuit board.
Will the colour-less buttons make older games that have user interfaces or puzzles based on the coloured buttons be very confusing? I doubt it would be worth the effort and cost to patch the new buttons in (unless the button images in-game are coded to call information from the console, so they can detect what type of buttons the player has).
D-Pad's an improvement, but removing the colour from the buttons is fucking stupid, and I have no idea why they've done it.
It's a lot easier, especially with new users, to just look at the colour than remember the button you're pressing. They seem to have removed that for NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
The Play and Charge + Controller packs have always been $65.
I agree with Thanius though - nobody wants the control-stick style D-Pad. If you're gonna fix it, why not go all out? Whatever though, I'm sure this'll be fine.
Why can't the just copy the SNES dpad? It's like the easiest thing in the world. Going on 10 years now of them failing to make a simple dpad that works. Stop being revolutionary and just let mt control the damn game.
Not that I'm seriously going to go out and BUY another set of controllers...unless they agree to replace eveyrone's controllers, this is almost a slap in the face.
"Yeah, we agree the D-Pad has been crap all along and that's why we are fixing it 5 years later. Feel free to spend some additional money and buy replacement controllers for the ones that never worked right in the first place (for 5 years)."
Exactly HOW is this ever going to get spun into anything positive for Micosoft? It's almost as if they have an entire division doing nothing but thinking up things they can do to piss off existing customers...
@bardock: in regards to my comment about the price point. YES, i realize it's the same price as the current controllers with the pnc kit.. HOWEVER.. their competition sells the same package(controller + battery) for $10 less. without the fancy rotation BS, they could have *adjusted* the price to be more competitive without sacrificing much profitability.
look, i love both consoles(and the wii!) and ive never regretted buying my 360, but MS has to realize that they are no longer the *clear* choice in HD consoles for those gamers who just want one of them. their high prices WILL scare off potential buyers. im not talking about only this controller, it's the price increase on Live, cost of other accessories, and the lack of a blu ray drive in the console itself(not that i expect them to put a blu ray into the 360, but they may have to compete by lowering prices again once the bump from the new design wears off).
Weak. I don't need any play and charge kit. I also don't understand removing the button colors as a lot of games have on screen COLOR button prompts! Wtf? Do these companies just try to cut their own hands off? Also I don't understand why they don't just make it a plus sign d-pad and get rid of the useless disc. The disc wasn't the problem anyhow it it was the outer rim.
@smoger
Agree. These needless price increase would make gamers consider their budget and look for a HD gaming system that does well...everything. I know i'm quoting the PS3 ad tagline, but looking at the price hikes by Microsoft, the tagline has never been more truer.
I would only want this as a wireless PC supported controller. But I think I'll stick with my PS3 controller for the PC since I don't need a special version of that controller and the D-Pad on the PS3 controller is perfectly fine.
I don't think anyone's going to rotate it flat again, after making it a "plus"...
Oh and screen prompts are understood faster by colors not button names, so why make buttons grey?
And the battery pack is still there, which is my main concern:\
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Contest:
11:00 AM on 08.31.2010
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Either way, if they fix this, the 360 controller will (in my opinion) be absolutely, 100% perfect. (It's at about 95% right now, since I don't play fighting games.)
2 things...
1. the buttons still look floaty as hell
2. why have the "disc" option at all? seems like just making it a plus without the transforming gimmick could have made it cheaper than $65
"For $65 that's a fucking ripoff."
its 65 because it comes with a rechargeable battery kit generally sold separately for $20, not because it has a modular d-pad.
goddamn guys
I thought the D-Pad was adequate - not a 2D fighter player so I've thought the controller has always been excellent!
Maybe I can get a cheap deal on two of the standard ones now, too...
Bleh. Even if the D-pad is better, which is great, those face buttons look painful. I wish people would pay more attention to the Saturn pad - the concave, large buttons and D-pad are comfortable, precise and easy to pull off diagonals on. I use a USB one with my PC all the time. An updated version with twin sticks would be supreme.
/whine
Stop using irrelevant animal photos for your posts.
^
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This
Wow, I hadn't heard those facts before! Thanks!
I'm going to just throw away my 360 controllers now and see if I can get my cramp-inducing DS3 controllers to work on my 360!
There are legal patent reasons they don't just put a PS3 like d-pad on it.
Will the colour-less buttons make older games that have user interfaces or puzzles based on the coloured buttons be very confusing? I doubt it would be worth the effort and cost to patch the new buttons in (unless the button images in-game are coded to call information from the console, so they can detect what type of buttons the player has).
It's a lot easier, especially with new users, to just look at the colour than remember the button you're pressing. They seem to have removed that for NO REASON WHATSOEVER.
I agree with Thanius though - nobody wants the control-stick style D-Pad. If you're gonna fix it, why not go all out? Whatever though, I'm sure this'll be fine.
"Yeah, we agree the D-Pad has been crap all along and that's why we are fixing it 5 years later. Feel free to spend some additional money and buy replacement controllers for the ones that never worked right in the first place (for 5 years)."
Exactly HOW is this ever going to get spun into anything positive for Micosoft? It's almost as if they have an entire division doing nothing but thinking up things they can do to piss off existing customers...
look, i love both consoles(and the wii!) and ive never regretted buying my 360, but MS has to realize that they are no longer the *clear* choice in HD consoles for those gamers who just want one of them. their high prices WILL scare off potential buyers. im not talking about only this controller, it's the price increase on Live, cost of other accessories, and the lack of a blu ray drive in the console itself(not that i expect them to put a blu ray into the 360, but they may have to compete by lowering prices again once the bump from the new design wears off).
Agree. These needless price increase would make gamers consider their budget and look for a HD gaming system that does well...everything. I know i'm quoting the PS3 ad tagline, but looking at the price hikes by Microsoft, the tagline has never been more truer.
I would only want this as a wireless PC supported controller. But I think I'll stick with my PS3 controller for the PC since I don't need a special version of that controller and the D-Pad on the PS3 controller is perfectly fine.
Oh and screen prompts are understood faster by colors not button names, so why make buttons grey?
And the battery pack is still there, which is my main concern:\